Joseph b



J. B. TIFFANY.

Ga s Regulator.

No. 233,048. Patented Oct. 5,1880..

lllllll" W OTO--LITHQGRAPHER. WASHINGTON,

rreo STATES PATENT Garter.

JOSEPH B. TIFFANY, OF NEW] YORK, N. Y.

GAS- REGULATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters-Patent No. 233,048, dated October 5, 1880.

Application filed January 12, 1880.

To all whom may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH B. TIFFANY, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Regulators, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a vertical section of the regulator through the horizontal inlet and outlet pipes. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the valve-seat. Fig. 3 is a side view of the nut K. Fig. 4 shows two inlet and two outlet pipes.

Like letters indicate like parts in all the figures.

My improvement consists in so constructing the valve and its adjacent parts as to avoid the possibility of the gas being entirely shut off, either by the diaphragm falling onto the valve-hole from above or the valve closing tight up against its seat from below, which often happens in regulators heretofore made, either on account of a decrease or increase in the pressure of the gas, in either of which events the gas has been extinguished at the burners, and then when the flow of gas recommences through the regulator, by the rising of the diaphragm from off the valve-hole or the dropping of the valve out of its seat, the burners have leaked gas. I prevent the diaphragm from falling onto the valve'hole by providing several (three or more) small studs or projections, located adjacent to the valveseat on the upper side of the upper plate of the inlet-box, as seen at 01 (Z, Fig. 1, or on the upper side of the bottom of the regulator-case, and adjacent to the valve, if the valve helo cated there. These studs may be placed on the under side of the diaphragm. These studs or projections must be sufficiently high to support the diaphragm above and away from the valve, so that the valve-opening will not be closed, and so that there will always be a space between the diaphragm and valve, through which the gas can pass to the outlet-pipe; and I prevent the valve from shutting ofi' the flow of gas by closing tight up against its seat by cutting small slots or grooves in the side of the valve or in the valve-seat, as may be preferred, through which sufficient gas can pass to preserve the flame at the burners, even though the valve should shut up close against its seat. These grooves or leak-passages are shown at m, Fig. 2. In the seat, and also in the valve, there may, if desired, be more than one of these grooves, and instead of a groove there may be a small holemade directly through the valve. By these means the gas cannot be completely shut off by any variation in the pressure. These leak passages, however, should not be so large as to interfere with the regulating action of the valve, but merely sufficient toallow gas enough to pass the valve to preserve the flame at the burners, which will depend upon the pressure and the number of burners. These grooves or holes can equally well be made in the old form of valve to effect the object above specified.

I also provide one or more openings or passages from the inside of the regulator-case, above the diaphragm, to the external air, through which the air can freely and readily pass, as shown at E, Fig. 1. I prefer to place this independent air-passage on the side of the regulator and to cover it with a hood or shield, to prevent dust from entering through it and falling on the diaphragm; but the dropping of dirt, &e., on the diaphragm may be avoided by an internal casing covering this independent air-hole e, (seen at c,) and this hole may be made through the case at any point above the diaphragm. The diaphragm is made much more sensitive by the use of these air-passages.

My improvements consist, secondly,in forming small burrs or lugs on the under side of the nut K, Fig. 1, (also seen enlarged in Fig. 3,) which lugs prevent the flat-under surface of this nut from coming down onto the upper surface of the top of the regulator-case, and always keeps these two surfaces apart. I do this because it often happens that this nut, if allowed to come into contact with the case, will stick to it and prevent the action of the regulator, because of an adhesive deposit of a tar-like nature, which comes from the gas. These teats may be placed on the upper surface of the case in such position that they will support the nut K, instead of being attached to the under surface of the nut. These lugs on the nut come only into play when the nut happens to be so adjusted that i't-strikes the top of the case before the diaphragm is stopped by the lugs 01 d, as may sometimes happen. Under such adjustment the nut will prevent the diaphragm from closing the valvehole; but I do not depend on the nut for this function, because it might easily get displaced. Hence the provision of lugs d d to prevent the descent of the diaphragm beyond a given point is important. This is especially the case when a regulator once used has been. laid aside for awhile, or when the gas has been shut oft from a house for any considerable length of time and the regulator unused, the balance-weights on the spindle meantime pressing this nut down onto the top of the regulator.

I am aware that a gas-regulator valve allowing some gas to leak through it when closed is known, also, that lugs projecting up from the valveseat of a gas-regulator to prevent the diaphragm from closing the valve-opening are known. I do not, therefore, claim these features separately.

Having thus described my improvements,

what I claim is so formed that the valve when tightly closed cannot entirely shut off the flow of gas, a stem, a diaphragm, supports to prevent the diaphragm from falling on the valve-hole, and an independent air-passage connecting the external air with the space above the diaphragm, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination, in a gas-regulator, of a valve provided with a leak passage or passages, so formed that the valve when tightly closed cannot entirely shut off the flow of gas, astem, a diaphragm, and supports to prevent the diaphragm from falling on the valve-hole, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination, in a gas-regulator, of a valve, a valve-stem, a diaphragm, and nut K, the nut being provided with one or more lugs on its under side, as and for the purpose setforth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 9th day of January, 1880, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' JOSEPH B. TIFFANY. Witnesses PHILLIPS ABBOTT, DANL. KENNIFF. 

